Hotline // April 3, 2024

VCSU Art and Music Facility Officially Renamed Larry J. Robinson Center for the Arts

Robinson to retire from VCSU with more than 50 years of service to ND

Valley City State University announced the official naming of the Larry J. Robinson Center for the Arts to honor Robinson’s long and successful career at VCSU. The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education approved the renaming during their last meeting in March.

“Larry exemplifies the qualities and characteristics one would expect in the naming of a campus facility. He has garnered more than 25 individual awards and recognitions as a legislator throughout his tenure,” President Alan LaFave said. “At the conclusion of his 49 plus year career at VCSU, this is a befitting honor in recognition of his extensive contributions to our campus, community, and state. His career, achievements and legacy are worthy of this recognition.”

Larry Robinson graduated from Tappen High School and earned his B.S. degree in education from VCSU in 1971. He also earned his Master of Science degree in Educational Administration from NDSU. He started his career as a teacher in Warwick, N.D. then returned to VCSU as the Director of the Memorial Student Center and Student Activities/Auxiliary Services in 1975. In 1996, Robinson was hired as the first Director of the VCSU Foundation. In 2021, he stepped into the role of directing VCSU’s first-ever capital campaign. He and his wife Mary Lee reside in Valley City and are active community members.

Robinson served as a member of the North Dakota Legislature as a senator for District 24 from 1988 to 2019. He served in several leadership positions including on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Higher Education Committee and Veterans Affairs. His leadership helped facilitate funding for a new Veterans’ Home in Lisbon, flood protection for communities in the Sheyenne River Valley and the for the new VCSU Center for the Arts. The $32 million building was officially opened for students in the spring of 2022.

The Robinson Center for the Arts is the creative hub for all art and music on campus. The art facilities include a ceramics lab, printmaking, painting, and drawing studio, a woodshop, a photography studio and digital design lab. Music facilities in the building include a 350-seat performance hall, 100-seat choral room, a band rehearsal room, piano lab, recording studio and numerous practice rooms of various sizes.

A public celebration and dedication event is being planned for June 2024.

For more information, to interview Robinson, tour the facility or for more information please contact Tammy Jo Taft by emailing tammyjo.taft@vcsu.edu or calling (701) 845-7227.

Lamoure resident and retired VCSU professor reflects on the life of a beloved sister lost to AIDS and honored as a part of the National AIDS Memorial Quilt

There are some threads, like those between siblings, parents and children, that can withstand the pressures of time, grief and the unknown. Retired VCSU Professor and Lamoure resident Dr. Gary Ketterling knows this well.

This week Ketterling will join others in the Center for the Arts Gallery reflecting on literal and figurative threads that connect life, death and all things between. Two pieces of the National AIDS Memorial Quilt are on display and cover an entire wall of the art gallery. But the quilt is not just a regular piece of assembled fabric. It is a part of the largest community arts project in history. The project focuses on honoring those whose lives have been lost to AIDS. The project has been ongoing for 35 years and there are more than 50,000 panels in the quilt in total honoring more than 110,000 individuals.

For Ketterling, there is one 3’x6’ panel of fabric in particular that stands out. The panel of sky-blue is adorned with hand-stitched music notes. It has messages of love, a white dove with a cross and a photo of his beloved sister, Nancy. The panel, hand-stitched by his mother, honors her daughter, Nancy and son-in-law, Elliot.

Keep reading here: https://www.vcsu.edu/lamoure-resident-and-retired-vcsu-professor-reflects-on-the-life-of-a-beloved-sister-lost-to-aids-and-honored-as-a-part-of-the-national-aids-memorial-quilt/

Alexis Busch spring recital set for this Saturday

VCSU Music Department invites you to attend a senior student recital for Alexis Busch, flute and saxophone, on Saturday, April 6 at 2 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Performance Hall. Busch will be accompanied by Dr. Ozzie Johnson on piano and VCSU students Shay Claeys, saxophone, and Carter Gill, percussion.

Taylor Long percussion recital on April 9

VCSU Music Department Faculty invite you to attend a faculty recital for Dr. Taylor Long, percussion, on April 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Performance Hall.

Long is a percussionist, sound artist, and educator who joined the VCSU music faculty in the fall of 2023. He has appeared at the Darmstädter Ferienkurse (Germany), New Music for Strings Festival (Denmark), New Music Gathering (Portland), Oh My Ears New Music Festival (Phoenix), and at venues including EMPAC (Troy), Pioneerworks (Brooklyn), Roulette Intermedium (Brooklyn), Rhizome (Washington D.C.), Harvestworks (Manhattan), and Carnegie Hall.

He is a member of Ensemble Decipher, a NY-based technologically oriented composer/performer collective, and low-pass, a duo with Rob Cosgrove with particular interest in sound installation and post-instrumental practice. Taylor is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts at Stony Brook University and holds degrees from University of Kansas (MM) and Portland State University (BM).

VCSU Diversity and Inclusion hosting national best-selling author and North Dakota native, Taylor Brorby

Taylor Brorby, national best-selling author, will speak on campus Thursday, April 11. Brorby is the author of Boys and Oil: Growing Up Gay in a Fractured Land, Crude: Poems, Coming Alive: Action and Civil Disobedience, and co-editor of Fracture: Essays, Poems, and Stories on Fracking in America. Students are encouraged to meet with the author in the Skoal Room from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to discuss his book, the writing and publishing process and his experience growing up gay in Center, N.D. Those interested can come and go during that time and are encouraged to bring their lunch to the Skoal Room.

Later that evening, Brorby will give a public talk at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Performance Hall where he will speak on his book, his life growing up in Center, N.D., his environmental advocacy, and current events related to literacy access and diversity inclusion.

Brorby’s work has been supported by grants and fellowships from the National Book Critics Circle, the MacDowell Colony, the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Mesa Refuge, Blue Mountain Center, and the North Dakota Humanities Council. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Orion Magazine, LitHub, Southern Humanities Review, North Dakota Quarterly, and has appeared in numerous anthologies. He is a contributing editor at North American Review and serves on the editorial boards of Terrain.org and Hub City Press.

Taylor regularly speaks around the country on issues related to extractive economies, queerness, disability, and climate change. He teaches nonfiction writing at the University of Alabama.

He will be available for book-signing after his talk. Books are available for pre-order through the VCSU Bookstore and at most online stores where books are sold. Generous support for Taylor’s visit has been provided by Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Epworth United Methodist Church, VCSU Social Justice Council, Professor Angela Mircsov, Jamie and Kelly LaFramboise, and Professor Katie Woehl.

VCSU student accepted to Rural Student Teaching Experience Program

VCSU student, Morgan Hearer, was recently selected to participate in ND EPSCoR’s Rural Student Teaching Experience (RSTE) program. Hearer, who is set to student teach this fall, is double majoring in business education and math education.

The goal of the RSTE program is to provide an exceptional learning experience for teacher candidates in a rural school and community while they complete the requirements of their undergraduate programs. She is one of six students in North Dakota to take part in this program for Fall 2024. Students are awarded up to $10,000 as a participation incentive to live in a rural school district and student teach in the areas of mathematics/technology or science/engineering.

Find out more about ND EPSCoR’s Rural Student Teaching Experience Program at https://www.ndepscor.ndus.edu/ndepscorprograms/track_1_nd_aces_prime_institution_ndsu_2020_2025/

Get your tickets and Get Groovy for the 29th Annual VCSU Scholarship Auction! 

Tickets for the 29th annual Valley City State University Scholarship Auction: Get Groovy, Vikings are now on sale! 

Tickets are $70, fitting for this year’s 70’s-themed event on April 26, 2024 at the Valley City Eagles Club. Included with admission are a buffet dinner serving roast beef, bacon-wrapped chicken, potatoes, vegetables, salad and dessert as well as two drink tickets to use that evening. Tickets can be purchased here or by contacting the VCSU Foundation office at 701-845-7203. 

Donations are still being collected for this year’s auction! If you have a donation for the silent or live auction, please notify the VCSU Foundation Office. Want to make a donation but don’t have an idea in mind? Help fill the Mystery Wine Table! Individuals or groups are asked to provide a minimum of $20 to go towards the purchase of a bottle of wine.

Schedule of events for the 29th Annual VCSU Scholarship Auction 

Monday, April 22
Silent auction opens in the Handbid app – noon 

Friday, April 26 
Social and games of chance – 5 p.m.
Buffet Dinner – 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Live Auction begins – 7 p.m.
Silent Auction closes – 7:30 p.m. 

For more information regarding the VCSU Scholarship Auction, to purchase tickets or to donate an item, call the VCSU Foundation Office at 701-845-7203. 

Katuin on discussion panel for ‘How to Utilize a Simulation in your Course’

Tammy Katuin, associate professor for business, recently had the privilege to be part of a discussion panel on utilizing cutting-edge simulated internships in their classes to better prepare students for their future careers in marketing. The webinar will be released on three different dates in April.

For more information or to register click the following link: https://www.stukent.com/how-to-utilize-a-simulation-in-your-course/

VCSU hosted regional science olympiad 

Valley City State University hosted the Valley City Regional Science Olympiad for high school and middle school students on Thursday, March 28. Approximately 350 students were on campus to compete as 23 different teams from 13 different schools.

Students participated in a variety of events, such as Robot Tour, Optics, Experimental Design, Can’t Judge a Powder and more.

Teather Sundstrom, Ph.D., VCSU professor of chemistry and VCSU Regional Director for Science Olympiad, said, “It was an eventful and rewarding day seeing the local kids compete in STEM related activities. This Olympiad wouldn’t be possible without all the help from VCSU faculty and staff as well as several engineers from the area.”

The students competed throughout campus in Rhoades Science Center, Graichen Gym, Vangstad Auditorium and the Valley City Rec Center. The event ended with an awards ceremony in Vangstad Auditorium.

“The top 5 teams from the competition will move on to the state competition at NDSU on April 20,” said Sundstrom.

Division B teams, made up of middle school students, moving on to state include Ben Franklin, Central Cass, Kulm, Northern Cass and Dakota Prairie. Division C teams, made up of high school students, include Fargo Davies, Red River, Central Cass, Northern Cass and Fargo North.

VCSU offers free tax preparation

Valley City State University (VCSU) students will offer free tax return preparation clinics for low-to-moderate income taxpayers from Monday, Feb. 5 to Monday, April 15. This is a basic tax service for qualified taxpayers with income less than $64,000 per year. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is offered by VCSU’s Department of Business.

The clinics begin on Monday, Feb. 5, and will be located on VCSU’s campus in McFarland 122. Walk-ins and appointments are accepted. Appointments can be made online at www.vcsu.edu/vita.

The clinics include face-to-face meetings between students and the tax filer to complete their return. The returns are then reviewed by a faculty member. Filers should bring a government-issued photo identification such as a driver’s license to the appointment. A married couple filing jointly will need photo identification for both the husband and the wife.

“These clinics offer a service for our community and provide students and faculty the chance to work together as a team,” said Brenda Tyre, chair of the VCSU Department of Business. “We are happy to coordinate these clinics to give students the opportunity to develop strong leadership, tax law knowledge, and communication skills. Every student volunteer working in the clinic has passed a tax preparation and code of standards exam to ensure returns are prepared accurately, maintain privacy, and ensure all personal information is secure.”

Dates available on Monday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. include:

Dates available on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. include:

To schedule an appointment, visit www.vcsu.edu/vita/ or contact the Department of Business at (701) 845-7508.

Viking sports update

Softball
The VCSU Softball team swept a four-game series against Viterbo University last week. The Vikings improved their overall record to 16-15 and are now 8-3 in conference play. VCSU is currently second in the NSAA standings. The Vikings host Dakota State for home games this weekend at the VCSU softball complex. Friday’s doubleheader is at 3:00/5:00 p.m. and Saturday’s games begin at 1:00/3:00 p.m. Saturday is also Senior Day for Viking Softball.

Baseball
After a bye week, VCSU baseball is back in action with six games this week. The Vikings play a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday at Dakota Wesleyan, and then resume conference play with a four-game series at Waldorf University on Friday and Saturday.

Track & Field
The Valley City State University track and field team won six individual events, and the Viking women won a team title Saturday as VCSU competed at the small Al Bortke Open hosted by the University of Mary.
Read more: https://vcsuvikings.com/news/2024/3/31/mens-track-and-field-vikings-win-6-events-at-al-bortke-open.aspx

Golf
The VCSU golf team is scheduled to begin the spring season on April 8-9 at the Dakota Wesleyan University Spring Invite. The 36-hole tournament is being played at Lakeview Golf Course and Wild Oak Golf Course in Mitchell, S.D.

Upcoming Events
April 3: Baseball at Dakota Wesleyan, 3:00/5:00 p.m. (Mitchell, S.D.)
April 5: Baseball at Waldorf University, 1:00/4:00 p.m. (Forest City, Iowa)
April 5: Softball vs. Dakota State, 3:00/5:00 p.m. (Valley City)
April 6: Baseball at Waldorf University, 12:00/3:00 p.m. (Forest City, Iowa)
April 6: Softball vs. Dakota State, 1:00/3:00 p.m. (Valley City)
April 8-9: Golf at DWU Invite (Mitchell, S.D.)

What's happening at VCSU and around Valley City...

Find out what’s happening at VCSU: https://www.vcsu.edu/news-events/

Find out what’s happening in the community: https://www.valleycitycalendar.com/